The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-11-24
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Orr Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
TIE NINETEENTH CORPS.
An Amended STORY or Gen. Emory's Command IN
TIE Valley Campaign.

dlCrs composing GCn. Emory colnihahus hi""h
rs the Niuetesuth Corps, there were SIX regi-
,,orfs-the a2d. 2ith and 2sth Iowa, sth. llth
and 18th lud. Although attached TO the Nine
tecnth Corps they always claimed 90 be OF the
Thirteenth Corps, and We cannot afford TO Keep
silent while comrades deliberately libel those
brave soldiers OF the Alneteenth Corps with
whom we served In the Shenandoah Valley In
replying TO Capt. Lockhart and Comrade
Griffin. who apparently saved the battles IN the
Valley, ] shall avoid the pronoun |" as much
a. possible.
While was in all Of The disturbances in the
Valley ] ann confident there were Others on our
side besides myself and the cavalry. Al TINS
late day ] am not surprised al the assertion
made hy Capt. LOclhmt, that 1.-THE Nine
teenth Corps did not get up TO Winchester on
time This is in keeping with the treatment
we received on our arrival NJ Washington from
Tho West. The Invalid Corps, and al the sol
diers We met when they found we were from
the Western army, appeared TO have no especial
use for US and our association with the sixth
Corps never was that of comradeship; aud this
feeling is still portrayed by the comrades when
they excuse the L ghth Corps for being sur
prised at Cedar Creek, ana blame the Nine
teeuth Corps, because they were up aud ready
for the rebels. ] do not want to take too much
OF your valuable space, nor have i the time 10
follow this subject as il should be done so
will has lily sketch our campaign
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Answering the first charge of Capt. Lock-
hart, where he says that " the Nineteenth
Corps was slow in getting on the field az Win.
chester AS this charge is p years old, and has
been answered before, will quote the same
authority,
Geu. Wright having had his attention called
90 this same charge by Gen. Emory after the
battle answered rs follows: " According 10 the
order of march you were 80 follow the artillery
I'll, !, loVFas md INN t1a
head of the column reached the pikeit was met
by yours, which was then halted by my order,
10 permit my command 20 pass. That you
moved up as rapidly as practicable, alter u had
been decided TO park the trains on the east
side OF the 0pequRn instead OF taking them
across, have had no reason TO doubt: nor IS
there the slightest doubt that your command
passed tae trains and moved forward through
the defle by which the battle-ground was
reached. as rapidly as infantry could be moved.
AS an act OF Justice to yourself and corps,
have brought the matter TO the notice OF the
Major General commanding this army, and take
pleasure in saying that he viii e1eciually cor
rect the misstatement IN has next dispatch TO
Licut.-Gen. Grant"
Gen. Sheridan wrote that he chad seen a
statement that the Nineteenth Corps was late
IN coming into the battle at Winchesier." =" /
was entirely unconscious of this" he Sid, " UNI
I'll saw il in the paper" and he declared the
doah Valley. 1864, page lao; also, LOSING
History, volume 3, page 364) Believing that
tins disposcs of Capt. Lockhart's charge that
the Nineteenth Corps was slow IN getting on
the field, will now state what came under my
observation after we did get there.
The Nineteenth Corps consisted Of two divi-
sions Gen. Dwight commanded the First D-
vision aud Gen. Grover the Second. The First
Division Dwight, with the Second Brigade of
the Second Division, was placed on the second
line. When the FIRST line advanced, Growers
Division bore TO the right. The Sixth Corps
held the pike, which inclined TO the left,
causing a gap between the left Of Growers
Division and the right of the Sixth Corps, into
which the Second Brigade of Growers Division
was sent from the second line. When wecame
mp TO the front line we found our division on
theright, advancing, but the Sixth Corps, ON the
left was standing fast with the front rank
Eneciing.
WE CHARGED ACROSS FIELD
half n mile beyond where the Sixth Corps was
halted, and held our ground until we were
flanked on the left right in plain view and in
front of the Sixth Corps, that made no APP
parent effort 90 save Us We, # course. were
forced back. but j here assert, without fear OF
truthful contradiction, that we went no farther
back than the line on the right OF the Sixth
Corps; and ] further assert that no part o.
Gen. Russeli's Division, nor any Of the Sixth
corps, were sent 10 tliaI part OF the llnc hcle
hy OUT bigade which was Immediately on the
right Of Bcketls's Division, of the Sixth Corps
but, on the contrary, we were relieved, wher
out Of ammunition, by the Second Brigade o
our own First Division; the sth Vt. taking th'
place OF our regiment
When Comrade Griffin comes to the rescu
Of Can't Lockhart and says that the Captain
is undoubtedly right-the pike was the diyid
ing line" he is either willully incorrect, o
else was not there, and speaks at random. for j
he and the Captain knew anything about tn
formation that morning, they know that Rick
etts's Third Division was on the right Of tn
pike, Getty's, the Second, on the left of tn
pike, with Russell's in reserve; and further
that IN his effort 10 restore the right OF Ricketts,
Division that gave way before we got back L
them was where the brave Gen. Russell wa
Killed. and not In helping the Nineteenth Corps
as has been asserted I'm proof of which
cite Ponds Shenandoah Valley, 1864" pag
I6l, where he uses this language " Braxton'
guns concentrating against the triumphan
Union assailants- sooN had visible effect il
checking their advance, and at this momen
Battles Brigade, of Rhodes's Division, whic
lad gust arrived from Stephenson's, and la
formed IN the rear Of Evans, came throug
fthe WOODS in charge
FRIsH TROOPS AT CRITICAL MOMENT.
They struck the thinly -covered junction at On
right Of the Sixth and the left Of the Nine
teenth Corps, and. quickly supported on thei
fanks by the remainder of Rhodes and all
Gordon, the broken brigade rallying with I'll
rest, they succeeded in driving back Ricketts,
Division OF the Sixth Corps. and Growers of Oh
Nineteenth, while the whole line, 20 some el
tent, felt the effect and came back somewhs
toward the position In front of the raVine froI
which il had advanced"
ln q foOt-nOte 10 the text Mai. Dalton. A. A
G., says: " The enemy having pushed bac
the Second Division Of the Nineteenth Corr
and portion Of the Third Division of IN
ltbe Sixth corps, moved down toward III
pike delivering a severe FIRE Of musketry froi
the woods and comfeds the right. III
Third Brigade (Edwardss) was now rapid
moved by the flank 10 the right of the pix
then forward with the First Brigade Cam
BELLS, under heavy fire, 10 a crest cOmman,
ing the woods and fields through which ii
enemy moved"
As 30 position, see the same authority pa,
lJS, where lac says that Riclzetts's Thu
Division was or the right of the pike, vii
Getty's Second on the left and Russels Fir
IN reserve"
D. IL not strange that Comrade Griffin I'm
nothing in his diary, nor the gallant CAPITA
anything IN his authentic history of this ba
Tie, about the right Of the Sixth Corps Pivil
wayI Losing, and in fact all reliable writel
who have any regard for the truth, agree wi
the proposition that Is made here. There
no member Of the Nineteenth Corps that
have ever met who denies that we of the St
oHd Division, icll hark TO the position Of Z
first line thai morning; bat that we went fl
fhpr hack we auq mud oil danu Tho I,